Wednesday, 20 August 2014

In Poole Harbour

Poole has a very large harbour, within which nestles the spiritual home of Scouting. Brownsea Island - along with a number of smaller islands - not to mention the marinas, ferry ports and cargo depots that make up the functional port.

This image is based on a photograph that I took from The Quay in the older part of Poole - a pretty area largely given over to tourism - but just across the water, the visitor is reminded that Poole Harbour continues to be a working harbour as ships like this one (a Russian bulk carrier called the Mekhanik Kraskovskiy, IMO 8904458) are laden with Purbeck clay.

I liked the big sky and the clean lines of the modern ship. When I took the photograph, I was thinking of a very linear composition; this isn't that painting. Instead, it is a play on colour and texture; I used brushes, colour shapers, knives and fingers to apply the paint, not to mention a small can of red spray paint.